Hanger with bag closure section

ABSTRACT

A gift bag includes aesthetically-covered opposing sides defining an opening, and a hanger attached to a side. The hanger is stamped from flat sheet material and includes a first section with adhesive for attaching to the side, a holding portion shaped to engage a support for display prior to being purchased, and a flexible closure portion with additional adhesive for attaching to the side. Thus the hanger both facilitates displaying the bag and also closing the bag to improve presentation of a gifted item in the bag (and to prevent the item from falling out of the bag). Methods related to same are also disclosed and claimed.

This is a utility application under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) claiming benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/144,830, filed Jan. 15, 2009, entitled HANGER WITH BAG CLOSURE SECTION, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to hangers for hanging products for display and that further is adapted to provide an added function, such as a closure.

A variety of different hangers exist for hanging product for display, including hangers with adhesive for adhering to the product, such as those shown in McMaster U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,443 and Miller U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,137. These hangers often have a minimum size and/or are made transparent to minimize visibility, so that the hangers do not detract from the overall appearance of the product in its “hung” displayed position. Historically, a focus of designers has been to optimize hangers for their intended use of holding products while on display, but to otherwise make the hanger essentially “invisible” after the product is removed from display for purchasing the product.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a gift bag includes a bag with opposing sides defining an opening, and a hanger attached to one of the sides. The hanger has a holding portion with a feature shaped to engage a support for displaying the bag prior to being purchased and further has a closure portion for holding the opposing sides together to close the bag's opening after being purchased.

In another aspect of the present invention, a display hanger includes a flat flexible sheet having a first section with first adhesive adapted for attachment to a first side of a gift bag, and having a second section configured to engage a support while the gift bag is being displayed for purchase, and having a third section that is flexible and that has additional adhesive for attachment to a second side of the gift bag for holding the sides of the gift bag together to close the bag.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method includes steps of providing a bag with opposing sides defining an opening and a display hanger extending from one of the sides, and using the hanger to hold the opposing sides together to close the bag.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of displaying and later holding closed a gift bag includes steps of providing a bag with opposing sides defining an opening, attaching a hanger to one of the sides, displaying the bag by engaging the hanger with a support, and using the hanger to hold the opposing sides together to close the bag.

These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-3 are perspective views of a bag with hanger attached, FIG. 1 showing the bag-and-hanger hung on a bent-wire support for display, FIG. 2 showing a holder-engaging portion of the hanger torn away and removed, and FIG. 3 showing the remaining closure portion of the hanger used as a closure for the bag.

FIGS. 4-5 are front and side views of the hanger shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIGS. 6-7 are front and side views of a modified hanger.

FIGS. 8-9 are front views of additional hangers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A gift bag 20 (FIGS. 1-3) includes a bag with opposing sides 22 and 23 defining an opening 24, and a hanger 25 attached to one of the sides, such as side 22. The hanger 25 (FIG. 4) has a first portion 26 with adhesive 26′ (temporarily covered by release paper 51) for attaching to the side 22, a holding portion 27 (also called a “second portion”) with a feature 28 (such as a hole or hook) shaped to engage a support (such as the illustrated bent wire support 29 often used in in-store displays) for displaying the bag 20 prior to being purchased and further has a flexible closure portion 30 (also called a “third portion”) with additional adhesive 31 on its extremity for attaching to side 23 to hold the opposing sides 22-23 together to close the bag's opening after being purchased. Release paper 33 is located on the adhesive 31 so that the adhesive 31 does not accidentally adhere to anything until the purchaser wants to reveal the adhesive 31 for using the closure portion 30 to hold the bag 20 closed.

Gift bags 20 are bags with aesthetically treated outer surfaces (such as with printed patterns 32, pictures, colors, etc.), so that the gift bags 20 make an attractive package for gifts without the need for separate wrapping paper. The bags 20 can be made of any material and can have many different shapes and handle formations, but, for example, they are commonly made from paper or plastic film and include a loop-shaped cord handle 21′ on each side. The appeal of gift bags is that they do not require separate wrapping, but instead they are “complete” as purchased. Further, they are easy to use, and the person receiving them appreciates the aesthetic bag as well as the gift. Still further, the gift bags 20 are flexible in use, and often are saved by the receiver of the gift for secondary use. However, it is desirable to hold the gift bag 20 closed until the gift is presented to the recipient, both so that the gift is not easily seen and also so that the gift does not fall out of the bag 20 when set on a resting surface.

The illustrated hanger 25 includes a body stamped from a flat plastic sheet of material, such as PVC, PETG, polyethylene, or polyethylene terephthalate of about 0.02 inches thickness. However, it is contemplated that the hanger body can be made from any material and with any thickness that is sufficiently stiff and strong enough to hold a bag 20 on a support 29. The illustrated adhesives 26′ and 31 are on opposite sides of the hanger 25, with adhesive 26′ being configured to engage an inside surface of the side 22 for minimum visibility when the bag 20 is being displayed on support 29. The adhesive 26′ is covered by release paper (item 51, see FIGS. 5 and 7) until the hanger 25 is attached to a bag. The adhesive 31 is positioned so that when the two elongated strips of the closure portion 30 are bent over, the adhesive 31 attaches to the outer surface of the second side 23. It is contemplated that the adhesive 26′ and 31 could be placed on a same side of the hanger 25, if desired. The adhesive 31 is covered by release paper 33 until the consumer is ready to close the bag.

The illustrated hanger 25 includes slits 35 between the second section 27 and the first portion 26, and further includes perforations 36 between the second section 27 and the third portion 30. The perforations 36 allow the second section 27 to be torn off and removed once its function of holding the bag 21 for display is completed. Removal of section 27 provides an improved appearance of the gift bag 20 when being presented to a recipient of a gifted item.

The illustrated third section 30 (FIG. 4) includes two spaced-apart narrow strips of material. The narrow strips are elongated, making it easier to bend them over onto the second side 23, thus making it easier to use them as a closure device. Also, their narrow shape minimizes their visual presence and thus minimizes the amount of distraction in appearance that they cause. The illustrated adhesive 31 is limited to a small “dot” of material on an end of the strips of section 30, but it is contemplated that a scope of the present invention includes larger and/or different adhesive arrangements. (For example, see FIGS. 6 and 9.) Further, it is contemplated that a scope of the present invention includes replacing the adhesive with another bonding or attachment mechanism, such as a magnet, hook-and-loop or other system. The illustrated adhesive 26′ of the first section 26 has a rectangular shape and is sufficiently large to “carry” the bag 20 on support 29 when the bag 20 is on display. The adhesive 31 can be smaller in size since it may not have to carry as much weight/stress as the adhesive 26′.

The holding feature 28 of the second section 27 in FIG. 4 is an aperture with angled top surfaces forming a centered notch 38. The notch 38 naturally causes the support 29 to slide to a center position, thus causing the bag 20 to be held in a symmetrical balanced vertical position on the support 29.

It is noted that a scope of the present invention includes a variety of different shapes and configurations, as illustrated in the hangers of FIGS. 6-7 (hanger 25A where the third section includes narrow arms with tips connected by a transverse section of material, the transverse section including adhesive clear across its length), FIG. 8 (hanger 25B where the second holding portion defines a hook 39 but is otherwise quite similar to FIG. 4), and FIG. 9 (hanger 25C where tips of the third portion are enlarged, but the hanger is otherwise similar to FIG. 4).

To summarize, the present invention includes a display hanger 25 made from a flat flexible sheet having a first section 26 with first adhesive 26′ adapted for attachment to a first side 22 of a gift bag 20, and having a second section 27 configured to engage a support 29 while the gift bag 20 is being displayed for purchase, and having a third section 30 that is flexible and that has additional adhesive 31 for attachment to a second side 23 of the gift bag 20 for holding the sides of the gift bag 20 together to close the bag 20.

A method comprises steps of providing a bag 20 with opposing sides 22, 23 defining an opening 24 and a display hanger 25 extending from one of the sides, and using the hanger 25 to hold the opposing sides 22, 23 together to close the bag 20.

A method of displaying and later holding closed a gift bag 20 comprises steps of providing a bag 20 with opposing sides 22, 23 defining an opening 24, attaching a hanger 25 to one of the sides 22, 23, displaying the bag 20 by engaging the hanger 25 with a support 29, and using the hanger 25 to hold the opposing sides 22, 23 together to close the bag 20 well after purchase of the bag 20.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise. 

1. A gift bag comprising: a bag with opposing sides defining an opening; and a hanger attached to one of the sides and having a holding portion with a feature shaped to engage a support for displaying the bag prior to being purchased and further having a closure portion for holding the opposing sides together to close the bag's opening after being purchased.
 2. The gift bag defined in claim 1, wherein the closure portion includes first adhesive.
 3. The gift bag defined in claim 2, wherein the hanger includes a bag-attached portion having second adhesive on an opposite side of the hanger from the first adhesive.
 4. The gift bag defined in claim 1, wherein the holding portion has perforations allowing the holding portion to be torn off.
 5. The gift bag defined in claim 1, wherein the closure portion includes at least one narrow strip of material making the closure portion more easily bendable.
 6. The gift bag defined in claim 1, wherein the holding portion defines one of a hook and aperture.
 7. A display hanger comprising: a flat flexible sheet having a first section with first adhesive adapted for attachment to a first side of a gift bag, and having a second section configured to engage a support while the gift bag is being displayed for purchase, and having a third section that is flexible and that has additional adhesive for attachment to a second side of the gift bag for holding the sides of the gift bag together to close the bag.
 8. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the first adhesive is on an opposite side of the sheet from the additional adhesive.
 9. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the second section has perforations allowing the second section to be torn off.
 10. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the third section includes at least one narrow strip of material making the third section more easily bendable.
 11. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the first section has a rectangular shape.
 12. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the second section is configured to mechanically engage the support.
 13. The hanger defined in claim 12, wherein the second section has an aperture therein for receiving a bent wire support.
 14. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the second section defines a hook.
 15. The hanger defined in claim 7, wherein the third section extends above the first and second portions, and includes adhesive on terminal portions thereof for adhesive attachment to the bag for closing the bag.
 16. A method comprising steps of: providing a bag with opposing sides defining an opening and a display hanger extending from one of the sides; and using the hanger to hold the opposing sides together to close the bag.
 17. A method of displaying and later holding closed a gift bag, comprising steps of: providing a bag with opposing sides defining an opening; attaching a hanger to one of the sides; displaying the bag by engaging the hanger with a support; and using the hanger to hold the opposing sides together to close the bag. 